Ovarian Cysts Serious: Symptoms like sharp pelvic-area pain or abdominal swelling on one side could be a sign of an ovarian cyst that needs prompt treatment to avoid complications.
At Virtuosa GYN, our elite OB/GYN, Dr. Susan Crockett, brings more than two decades of ovarian cyst management experience to her role as a compassionate, caring, and uplifting women’s health specialist.
We provide skilled ovarian cyst evaluation, monitoring, and management to help you be proactive about your health and avoid serious complications. In this month’s blog, we discuss how to know when ovarian cysts could be serious.
When ovarian cysts aren’t serious
Functional ovarian cysts are generally small and benign (noncancerous). Most women of reproductive age develop one or more functional cysts during menstruation and ovulation each month. They’re rarely serious.
Usually, those cysts go away in a few weeks or months. Most of the time, they don’t cause symptoms and remain undiscovered unless you have a routine pelvic exam or imaging test when the cysts are present.
Although functional ovarian cysts usually don’t present an immediate health threat, they do warrant watching.
If Dr. Crockett discovers functional ovarian cysts during an exam or testing, she monitors them periodically to make sure they resolve and don’t cause you any problems. This approach helps ensure you’re not faced with a crisis later.
When ovarian cysts could be serious
Unfortunately, some types of ovarian cysts could be serious. These other types of cysts include:
- Teratoma, a cyst containing tissues, like hair or skin
- Cystadenoma, a cyst growing on the outside of the ovary
- Endometrioma, a cyst developing due to endometriosis
Although these types of ovarian cysts are almost always noncancerous, they can still cause some serious problems.
For example, cysts that grow quite large may cause abdominal and pelvic pressure, pain, and belly bloating. Some women experience persistent dull discomfort while others suffer from sharp stabbing pains that come and go.
If a cyst breaks open (ruptures), the pain is usually sudden and intense, and you may experience vaginal bleeding or spotting outside of your periods.
Some cysts, particularly larger ones, can cause an ovary to grow or move. It may lead to ovary twisting (ovarian torsion). Unless treated, ovarian torsion could cut off your ovary’s blood supply and, potentially, cause ovary death.
Do you have an ovarian cyst and feel scared?
If you have an ovarian cyst and are worried about what it means for you, rest assured that you’re in the best hands at Virtuosa GYN. Dr. Crockett and our empathetic specialists put your mind at ease and give you all the information and resources you need to avoid a health crisis.
After using precise diagnostic processes to identify your cyst and the optimal treatment path, Dr. Crockett designs a personalized treatment plan.
This may include watchful waiting, medication, or surgery. Dr. Crockett is a highly renowned master-level robotic surgeon who often performs procedures like cyst removal (ovarian cystectomy) using the state-of-the-art da Vinci® surgery system.
This minimally invasive approach can preserve your fertility and greatly reduce your recovery time compared with traditional surgery.
It’s true that ovarian cysts can be serious, but they’re highly treatable, and we’re here to guide you and keep you well. Call us at 210-664-4753 or click the online booking feature to connect with us now.
